Traveling with Disabilities

Do you remember how many people with disabilities you met during your last trip? From our experience, it was definitely less than every fourth person – even though 27% of people above age 16 have a disability. Despite the desire of 42% of people with disabilities to travel more, lack of accessible information and infrastructure often holds them back. Inclusive travel should be available to everyone—whether you’re traveling solo or with family members who have disabilities. We believe that accessible travel can be a reality for all, and that everyone should have the chance to experience new places and meet new people, no matter their ability. Let’s work together to break down the barriers to disability-inclusive travel.

Importance & Urgency

    Limited Information

    Most booking pages lack comprehensive accessibility information. When it is provided, it often only features a wheelchair icon, failing to account for those with hearing or visual impairments for instance, who have completely different needs. Additionally, this information is often unreliable and rarely verified. We need your help to crowdsource accurate details.

    Dangerous & Impossible

    Individual travel is not only challenging but often dangerous and even impossible. People with disabilities make 38% fewer trips than non-disabled people—which hasn’t improved even a bit in the last decade. 48% of people with disabilities want to travel more and wish for better infrastructure to allow them to do so. This exclusion also limits career opportunities, as many jobs require business travel, and employers and even universities often prefer candidates with international experience.

    Workplace Inclusion

    Most accommodations are not inclusive working places either. In the U.S. only 10% of leisure and hospitality workers have a disability. No wonder that they are missing the perspective of people with disabilities in their work.

    Making travel more accessible benefits everyone, whether it’s for heavy suitcases, strollers, or other mobility aids. Raoul Krauthausen, activist for inclusion of people with disabilities claims that every person without a disability has the right to be together with people with disabilities – this is also true in the travel industry. When travel remains a privilege reserved for the able-bodied, we all miss out on the opportunity to connect during our vacations. It also makes it much more inconvenient to travel with a friend who has a disability.

    Become a Changemaker

    Accommodations have a huge impact and YOU, as a traveler, can incentivize them to change. Open your eyes to the measures accommodations can implement for accessibility.

    1. Try walking around blindfolded or wearing noise-canceling headphones (ask a friend to ensure your safety) to understand challenges people with disabilities may meet.
    2. Discuss your observations with hotel staff. Here are some questions to ask:
      I noticed you do not have Braille language anywhere. Have you already thought of adapting so that people with visual disabilities can enjoy a holiday here as well?
      When arriving, I had difficulty getting my suitcase through the door. Do you have experience with wheelchair accessibility at the entrance?
    3. Help others find disability-friendly options by downloading WheelMap. Share details about accommodations, restaurants, and entertainment venues you visit. Your contributions make it easier for people with disabilities to find accessible places to stay and enjoy. It only takes a few minutes, but for someone else, it can save hours of frustration.

    What ChargeHorizons Does

    • Transparent display of accessibility in the categories: visual and hearing impairment, walking disability and cognitive impairment. That way everybody finds reliable information. The data derives from the hotels plus YOU thanks to our Crowdsourcing principles.
    • Displaying blog articles with accommodations that are actively engaged in supporting individuals with disabilities as well as articles about travel experiences from people with disabilities to understand different needs and inspire each other.
    • Coaching and training for hotel staff on creating welcoming environments for people with disabilities, focusing on both behavioral changes and infrastructure improvements (e.g., ramps, Braille signage)
    • What3Words addresses to help travelers find the correct entrance suitable to their needs right away
    • Involving ALL travelers to engage in support of people with disabilities. This includes partnerships with Wheelmap and educating the public to become helpful “co-travelers” with our Travel Detective Club which teaches about social sustainability during a trip.
    • Connecting accommodations with our cooperation partners for instance includo who manufacture products such as soap, granola and welcome cookies in an inclusive environment with people with disabilities.

    Do you have additional ideas for improving accessibility in the travel sector? We want to hear from you.

    Share Your Experience

    Do you have a disability of any kind? Reach out to us at [email protected]. We want to hear your stories and provide you with a platform to share your travel experiences. Together, we can change the industry!

    Facts & Figures for Engaging Hotel Staff

    Need convincing points for discussing with hotel employees why it is important to take measures for better inclusion? Here are some facts and figures:

    • By not being inclusive, you close the door to 1 billion customers worldwide who have disabilities. It’s not just these individuals you lose as customers; it’s also their partners, friends, children, and business contacts who will choose not to engage with you if you cannot accommodate their needs.
    • People with disabilities add billions of dollars to the tourism industry, and this is steadily increasing each year. Investing in inclusive travel options can open the door to a steady stream of customers who are eager to spend on travel experiences.
    • Making travel accessible benefits both guests and staff, as an estimated 386 million workers worldwide have a disability.
    • The global population is aging, and as more people retire, they have increased time and resources for travel. However, aging also increases the likelihood of a disability. By 2050, it is expected that individuals over 60 will account for 22 percent of the world population. Do you as an accommodation really want to deny 1/5 of potential travelers to stay at your place?

    5 Reasons Everyone Should Care

    1. 1 in 4 people will experience a disability for at least a period in their life. Sickness, aging, accidents… it is more likely than you may think.
    2. More accessible buildings benefit everyone—whether you’re dealing with a heavy suitcase, a stroller, or a bike.
    3. Planning to take your parents on a trip while caring for your children? Accessible holidays become especially important when you have relatives and friends who benefit.
    4. Investments in accessibility lead to enhanced public facilities and better technology, creating a smoother travel experience for all.
    5. Accessible travel encourages more diverse groups to travel together, enriching experiences and communities.

    Excited to learn more or become active? Read further on our mindful travel blog, become a Sustainable Travel Ambassador or simply download our App, book your next trip and start to change the industry!Â